Winchester's Food and Produce Show is a recipe for success!
Winchester’s first Food & Produce Show, held at Winchester Guildhall on Sunday 26 July, was hailed as a roaring success, attracting over 2200 visitors throughout the day.
Organised by Winchester Guildhall as part of this year’s Hampshire Food Festival, the show incorporated food and drink producers, as well as Hampshire tea rooms, restaurants and pubs. Cookery demonstrations ran throughout the day, given by; Jennifer Laing of Alresford-based Cresson Creative; Fosters Events - caterers at the Guildhall; and Chris Hanson who featured on BBC2’s series The Restaurant with Raymond Blanc, running their restaurant ‘Ray White’s’. Friends of King Alfred’s Buses ran a free bus service between the Guildhall and Winchester Park and Ride. The Show also complemented the regular Hampshire Farmers’ Market held in Middlebrook Street and car park.
Sharon Palmer, Winchester Guildhall’s Business Development Manager, said: “Visitors started flooding in as soon as the doors opened, we were overwhelmed by the popularity of the show, which is always difficult to anticipate when it is a new event. In all we had over 2200 visitors through the door and many of the stalls sold out”. Hannah Burkeman, Sales Manager for Tylney Hall Hotel, said: “We participate in several trade shows throughout the year but the Winchester Food and Produce show was one of the best I have ever attended. It was extremely well organised, well promoted and really helped us to increase awareness of Tylney Hall and what we have to offer, especially in terms of the restaurant and afternoon teas. The show was very successful, we have already signed up for next year. The homemade miniature scones went down a treat with visitors! “ Chris Hanson, who gave cookery demos said: “It was great to see such a great turn out for the first event of this kind in Winchester. The Guildhall was a great venue for the event and I really thought the Show was excellent”.
The Winchester Food & Produce Show attracted visitors from all over Hampshire and further afield, including as far as the USA! Organisers are already planning to build on this year’s success for a bigger Show during next year’s Hampshire Food Festival in July 2010.
The Winchester Food & Produce Show has been organised by Winchester Guildhall, and is supported by Winchester City Council, Winchester BID, Hampshire Fare (organisers of The Hampshire Food Festival), Friends of King Alfred’s Buses and Hampshire Farmers’ Markets.
Businesses interested in taking part in next year’s Winchester Food & Produce Show should contact Sharon Palmer at Winchester Guildhall on 01962 840420.